This invention relates generally to the provision of a control means for initiating disengagement of the diaphragm and its latch mechanism for a fuel dispensing nozzle incorporating an automatic shut off means that curtails the further delivery of fuel when the vehicle's gasoline tank approaches a fill.
There are a variety of control mechanisms incorporated into fuel dispensing nozzles, and generally for providing a finer regulation in the actual dispensing of fuel to a vehicle, and to shut the same off when a fuel tank has either attained a fill, or to provide for shut off of the nozzle when its associated dispenser ceases to deliver any further quantity of gasoline or other fuel. For example, the U.S. Pats. to Trygg, No. 4,331,187, and No. 4,343,336, disclose liquid dispensing devices, which further incorporate means operatively associated with their disclosed main valves, and which provide for shut off of their associated nozzles through manipulation of their diaphragm means particularly when their pump is deactivated after completion of a dispensing function, so that when the pump is once again activated, they avoid the risk of unexpected flow of gasoline through the nozzle before it is inserted into a vehicle. While the concept of the Trygg device is related to the subject matter of this current invention, the current invention yet operates sufficiently distinctly, and likewise incorporates entirely different structure, for achieving related results.
Other patents disclose means for providing automatic shut-off of the dispensing nozzle responsive to the amount of liquid reaching the tank, such as shown in the Wilder U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,578. In addition, the Hearn U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,212, discloses another form of automatic shut-off device for a gasoline dispensing nozzle. The Klaus U.S. Pat. shows an automatic safety nozzle, No. 3,005,476.
Additional patents having some relation to automatic closing of nozzle structures are shown in the Payne U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,500, the Murray U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,837, the Moore U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,121, the Kruckeberg U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,083, the Wilder U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,285, in addition to the United Kingdom published patent application Ser. No. 8,033,735.
It is submitted, upon review of these prior art patents, that the current inventidn, as previously explained, affords different structure for producing, in most instances, differing results, or perhaps better results, than the nozzle structures shown and described in these variety of prior patents and disclosures.